Apparatus for automatically controlling the speed of trains.



Patnted Nov-.10,1908.

APPLIOATIOI FILED AUG. 3, 1907.

J. G. SGHREUDER 6: V. K. SPIGBR. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY TJONTBOLLING TE SPEED OI TRAINS.

.T. "a. scnmzunnn & v. K. SPIGER.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY OQNTBOLLING THE SPEED OF TRAINS.

APPLICATION mum no. a, 1901.

Patented N0v.10,1908

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U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. mm c. sensations, or Enenwoon PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, AND VIBE K. SPIOER, oF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed August 3, 1907. Serial No. 388,933.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J ENS Gr. SOHREUDER, of Edgewood Park, Alle heny county, Pennsylvania, and VIBE K. PICER, of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Automatically Controllin the Speed of Trains, of which the followln is a full, clear, and exact description, re erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of apparatus embodying our invention, with the casing shown in section; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the centrifugal speed governor; Fig. 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1; Fi 4 is a plan view showing one method driving the speed governor from the axle of the locomotive or car; Fig. 5 is a detail view showing another way of holding the trip arm in central position; and Fig. 6 is a side view showing an application to an engine frame.

The object of our invention is to provide means for automatically controlling the speed of railway trains, (and by the term train as used herein, and in the claims, we include all forms of railway engines and vehicles whether single or attached), in passing distant signals, 'at curves, or at any other polnt along the right of way where it is desirable to limit the speed.

In accordance with our invention, We provide trip mechanism carried by the train,

' preferably on an engine, and which is arranged to affect the operation of valve mechanism whereby the speed of the train is controlled, either by causing the application of the brakes or by operating the throttle or both. This trip mechanism is designed to operate the valves, by means on the track at the desired points, provided the speed of the train exceeds a predetermined limit; otherwise, the operation of the trip does not effect the operation of the valves.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2 designates a depending trip arm, which is attached to a rotary shaft 3 supported in suitable bearings 4 and 5 attached to the engine or tram at any convenient point.

On the hub of the arm 2 is a cam 6 having a central depression 7 in which normally rests a roller 8 on the lower end of a plunger 10 of a valve 11 w ich controls a fluid-exhaust opening or passage 12, which leads through the said valve to a passage 13. This passage 13 is connected to the brake pipe 14, through a valve seat 15 which is normally closed by a valve 16. The valve 16 is normally held closed by a spring 17. The valve 11 has a similar closin spring 18, and the plunger 9 is provided w1th a spring 19 which normally holds the roller 8 in engagement with the cam.

' 20 designates a fluid-supply pipe, which communicates with an air passage 21 through port 22 controlled by a valve 23 having a closing spring 24. The port 21 opens into a cylinder 25, having therein a piston valve 26, and from which leads a passage 27 to a chamber 28 having therein a piston 29. The piston 29 has a depending stem 31 provided with a brake shoe 32 at its lower endwhich is arranged to be moved into engagement with a brake flange 33 on the hub of the trip arm 2 and normally held clear thereof by the spring 30. The valve 23 has a stem 34, which extends across the upper portion of the port or passage 21 into position to be enga ed by a rod or plunger 35 which is norma ly held out of engagement therewith by a spring 36. The outer end of the plun er 35 extends into position to be engaged y the endwise movable shaft 37 actuated by a centrifugal device 38. This device is secured to a shaft 39, which may be driven in any suitable manner from an axle or other rotating part of the train or en ine. We preferably drive it by means of a exible shaft 40 extending to a shaft 41, which is driven by pulley 42 connected by belt 43 with a pulley 44 on one of the axles.

The device 38 may be any form of a centrifugal device, such as a ball governor; in the form shown, it consists of an annular ring, pivoted at 45 to a lug 46 which rojects from the shaft 39, and is normally he din the oblique position shown in full lines by the action of the coil springs 47 coiled on the trunnion bearin s or pivots and held stationary relative to the lug 46 by the clamp 46.

The piston valve 26 which is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by a spring 26 has a stem 26 which abuts the stem 16 of the valve 16.

The trip arm 2 is normally held in the cen- 9, which is arran ed to engage the stem tral position shown in Fig. 1, by means of the two sets of springs 48 and 48', which are coiled about and seated on the curved guide rods 49, and bear against opposite sides of an arm 50, Fig. 3, on the hub of the trip arm 2. These springs not only serve to hold the trip arm in a central position, but they also take up the impact when the arm 2 is operated, the springs 48 receiving the first impact which they transmit to the heavier springs 48. Instead of these springs, we may, however, employ the spring arm 51 shown in F 1g. 5, which is connected to the arm 2, and whose upper portion is normally confined between the stops 51; or any other suitable structure.

52 (Fi 6) designates a track trip, which is secure to the track in position to be enga ed by the trip arm 2. This trip 52 may eit er be controlled by a connection with a signal, or it may be permanently, or telnporarily, fastened to the track at any point where it is desired to limit the speed of or stop the train.

The 0 eration is as follows :With the speed belbw a predetermined limit, the contact of the trip arm 2 with the trip 52 will sim ly affect the opening of the valve 11 wit out any other effect, since the exhaust assage 12 is still closed by the valve 16.

hen, however, the speed of the train exceeds theredetermined limit, (as determined by t e set of the centrifugal device 38), the said device will tend to move into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and will thereby actuate the shaft 37 and the rod 35 to open the valve 23. Fluid pressure now passes from the supply pipe 20 into the port 22 and passa e 21, to the cylinder 25. This actuates t e piston 26 and causes its stem 26 to engage the stem 16 of the valve 16 and open that valve. Fluid pressure now escapes from the brake pipe 11 through the port 13 and the escape port 12, valves 11 and 16 both being open.

luid pressure simultaneously passes around the piston 26 into the ort 27 and actuates the piston 29 to throw t e brake shoe 32 into engagement with the brake flange 33 as the trip arm rotates. This brake shoe will hold the trip lever in the position to which it has been moved by the trip thereby kee ing the valve 11 opened until the speed of t e train has been reduced to the proper limit. This reduction of speed will cause the centrifu al device 38 to withdraw the stem 37, and t e return s rings of the several valves will automatica ly close them, and the spring 30 will raise the brake shoe 32 to permit the tri arm to resume its normai'position. It thus be apparent that unless the speed of the train exceeds the predetermined limit, the operation of the tri arm 2 will have no effect in appl ing the rakes. The brakes may be direct y applied by the escape of air from the brake pipe 14, or said pipe may be connected to any other suitable valve mechanism which controls the application of the brakes, or it may effect the operation of the throttle valve of the engine, or both.

We do not Wish to limit ourselves to the exact form of valve mechanism which we have herein shown and described, it bein obvious that the desired result can be e fected with various arrangements of valves; neither do we limit ourselves to the particular character and arrangement of the trip mechanism shown; nor to the use of the particular centrifugal speed governor, since any suitable device driven by connection with a rotating part of the engine may be employed.

What we claim is 1. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a control valve, fluidal actuated means for controlling the opening of said valve, and combined trip and governor means for causing the operation of the fluidal device; substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a normally closed controllin valve, a trip device arranged to open said valve, a supplementary control valve, a fluidal means for openin the sup lementary valve, and means contro led by tie speed of the train for controlling the operation of the fluidal means; substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a controlling valve, a trip device arranged to open said valve, sup lementary valve mechanism, fluidal means or controlling the operation of the supplementary valve means, and a centrifugal device operated by the speed of the train and controlling the operation of the fluidal mechanism; substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a main controlling valve, a trip device for opening the same, a supplementary valve, a fluidal iston for o crating the same, valve means or controlling the admission of ressure to said piston, and means controlled y the speed of the train for controlling the operation of the last named valve means; substantially as described.

5. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a main control valve, a trip device for actuating the same, a sup lementary control valve, a fluidal piston or opening the supplementary valve, means governed by the speed of the train controlling the operation of said piston, and means arranged to return the valves to their normal positions; substantially as described.

6. In apparatus for controlling the s eed of traii'is, wntroliing vaives, a trip mec anism, a device operated by the speed of the train said tri mechanism and device conjointly contro ling the operation of said valve to reduce or check the speed of the train, and means for automatically returnhas; valve to normal position; substantially as described. w

7. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a control valve, a trip mechanism for opening the same and means controlled by the speed of the train whereby the opening of said valve is not effected unless the speed exceeds a predetermined limit; substantially as described.

8. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a control valve, tri mechanism for opening said valve, a suppliemental control valve, means for opening the-su plemental valve controlled by the speed 0 the train, and means for automatically holdin the main and supplemental valves open until the speed has been reduced to the predetermined limit; substantially as described.

9. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a movable trip device, a brake therefor, and means controlled by the speed of the train for controlling the o ration of the brake; substantially as descri d.

10. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a pivoted trip device, a brake therefor, and fiuidal means for I controlling the operation of the brake and controlled by the speed of the train; substantially as described.

11. In apparatus for controlling the speed of trains, a pivoted trip arm, and compound springs arranged to bear against op osite sides of said arm for holdin it norma y in a central position and for taiing up the imact of operation together with curved guides lbr said springs; substantially as described.

12. In ap aratus for controlling railway trains, a ski able s eed controlling member, a fluidal actuated evice for controlling the shifting of said member, and combined trip and speed actuated means for causing the operation of the fluidal actuated device; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

JENS G. SCHREUDER. VIBE K. SPICER.

Witnesses as to Jens G. Schreuder:

J AS. J OHNSON, C. C. WHITE.

Witnesses as to Vibe K. Spicer: v E;=T BARNES," .1% a W;M. 

